Sitting less for more vitality
Many books are published about nutrition, lifestyle and health. Dietitian/journalist Karine Hoenderdos reads and assesses books for Health Net. This time: ‘Relieving’ by Paul Akkermans.
Short and sweet
In the Netherlands we sit on average 9 hours a day and that is not good for our health. This book is a plea for to sit less and to increase our ‘seating awareness’.
Who is the author?
Paul Akkermans is a healthcare technologist. He develops furniture for people who cannot or do not want to sit in a standard chair. Akkermans is very interested in a healthy lifestyle.
What is this book about?
The book is about sitting, and why we do it so much and love it. At school, at the office, at home on the couch: we sit for a large part of the day. That has a negative effect on health. While sitting there is a lot of pressure on the intervertebral discs, the blood flow decreases, the lymph fluid no longer flows smoothly, energy consumption decreases and the lack of exercise causes higher blood sugar peaks after a meal. Sitting for a long time is also not good for the brain. Activity has a positive effect on brain blood flow and memory. Sitting still ensures that the brain also gets less ‘condition’. The book is a plea for less sitting, and to get up and move more often if you have to sit for long periods of time. It also provides information about the sitting position, ergonomics and health and safety guidelines. The author is a proponent of ‘active sitting’. According to Akkermans, we should not sit still in a comfortable chair, but rather we should constantly change our position and wobble in a chair that is less comfortable. Active sitting is also possible if we sit on the floor, or sit on a ball or balance stool. It becomes increasingly clear while reading that the author ‘coincidentally’ also designed such an active balance stool. That gives the book a commercial touch, which is a shame.
What can you practically do with this book?
After all the explanations about the disadvantages of sitting, the correct sitting posture and health and safety guidelines, chapter 5 only discusses the measures you can take yourself if you want to sit less. That starts with becoming aware of the number of hours you sit and setting a goal. The tips that are subsequently described in the book are quite obvious: calling while walking, meeting standing, setting an alarm so that you get up every 25 minutes, don’t outsource household chores. The author also argues for an active working environment with, for example, sit-stand desks, a desk bike, stimulating the stairs instead of the elevator, or setting up a table football game. Of course there is also the tip to purchase a balance stool.
Final verdict
A relatively thin and easily readable booklet about sitting and the harmful effects of sitting too much. The advantage is that the book makes you more aware of your sitting behaviour. Too bad the tips on how to lose weight are obvious and the author also recommends his own balance stool.
Relieving, Sitting less for more vitality, Paul Akkermans, Brave New Books, ISBN 9789464488210, 144 pages, € 20.00.
